


not my type

by bisexualfpjones



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: M/M, ive never heard of a season 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-09-01 16:24:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20261032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bisexualfpjones/pseuds/bisexualfpjones
Summary: For someone who's allegedly such a ladies' man, Robin sure has a hard time getting a read on what exactly it is Billy looks for in a woman. Until one day she realizes maybe she's been asking the wrong questions.





	not my type

**Author's Note:**

> sooo this is my first time writing for this fandom. i just really want billy and robin to be bros okay. those two radiate such powerful gay energy they'd be unstoppable and that's why the duffers wouldn't allow it. rude. just consider this me dipping my toe in the water

“How do you not think Debbie Harry’s hot?”

“I already told you. I don’t like blondes.”

“Okay, fine. But you have to admit in _Videodrome_ she was, like, a total babe.”

Billy shrugs his shoulders noncommittally, one arm casually resting on the VHS shelf beside him while he pretends to read the back of some random movie he picked up. 

They (he and Robin) have been doing this for a while. Billy had started coming to the video store a few months ago, coinciding with the hiring of a certain doe-eyed-pretty-boy former classmate of his, and he’d spent most of his time perusing the shelves, loudly criticizing the selection as if the employees had anything to do with it.

He had walked up to the counter with a copy of _Desperately Seeking Susan_, per Max and El’s request, one day which had immediately prompted Robin to tease _“You got a thing for Madonna, Hargrove?”_

Billy had just looked at her like he was in on some joke she had missed, smirk on his lips, tongue poking out the corner of his mouth, and said _”Nah. Not my type. Prefer brunettes.”_

And Robin, for whatever reason, couldn’t let it go. Sure, people had preferences, but _come on_. Madonna was everyone’s type. So it became a game. Every time Billy stopped into the store Robin had a new It Girl to throw his way, gage his reaction. And without fail, every time, they were never his “type”. 

It never made any sense to her. Billy’s reputation as the womanizer of Hawkins was well documented. A guy didn’t just hook up with that many women and not have an interest in a single one of them. Unless he was just collecting notches on his belt, which seemed likely enough. Red flags had definitely been raised.

It had been months of this and she’d gotten nowhere. It may have started out as a funny little game, a way to bug Billy, a way to pass the time at work, but now it was driving her crazy. She honestly didn’t even give a shit. The whole thing had just gone on so long that now she just needed to know on principle, like a puzzle she closed to solving and couldn’t walk away from.

Before Robin has a chance to pester any further Billy looks up over her shoulder, points and says “You’ve got a customer.” Robin turns her head and groans. “Bambi not around to help today?”

“No. He called out sick. Probably sitting at home getting stoned. Bastard.”

If Robin didn’t know any better she’d say Billy looked a little… disappointed? She only got a flash of it before he went back to looking bored and disinterested, but still. She saw it. Interesting.

Billy puts the tape he’s holding down, not even bothering to set it back in its rightful place a mere _inches_ away, and pushes off the shelf. “Whatever. I’ll leave you to your important cinematic duties.” And then he’s off. 

Robin grabs the tape, setting it back in order, and yells after him “You could’ve at least put this back where it belongs, asshole!”

Billy flippantly waves her off as he walks out the door.

\---

He’s back the next day. So is Steve.

Billy slams down a copy of _The Breakfast Club_ onto the counter, has a look on his face like he’s daring either employee to say something about it.

So of course Robin does. 

“Didn’t take you for a John Hughes guy, Hargrove,” her tone mocking.

“Shut up. It’s for Max.”

“Weird how you’re always in here getting movies for your little sister, but she’s never around… You her errand boy or something?”

Behind her, Steve’s got his head down trying to hide his laughter.

“Or!” Robin continues, “Maybe you have a thing for Molly Ringwald.”

Billy’s face scrunches up in disgust, clearly offended that anyone would think _that’s_ the type of girl he’d go after, and Steve absolutely loses it. 

“The hell’s so funny, Harrington?” Billy sounds annoyed, but when Robin looks at him she realizes his eyes are soft, not at all matching the tone he’s projecting. He’s not mad. It almost looks like he’s playing along...

Steve puts his hands up in mock surrender, his laughter simmering down, but the smile doesn’t leave his face. “Hey, I’m not judging. Personally, I prefer the weird goth girl. At least, after the makeover, anyway.”

Billy scoffs. “Of course you only like the edgy girl once she goes full prep. That’s disappointing, Steven.”

“So you have seen the movie!” Robin’s eyes have gone wide with amusement knowing she’s caught him.

Billy blushes, straightens up while he tries to backtrack. “What? No! I never-” He cuts himself off, tries to regain his composure, come across as sure and mean. “That movie’s for chicks. I’d never be caught dead watching that shit.”

Robin purses her lips, nods her head in mock agreement. 

“God, he is such a Bender. Right, Rob?” Steve jokes, nudges Robin’s elbow with his.

“Oh, _totally_.”

“You two are idiots, you know that?” Billy snatches the tape off the counter, but he doesn’t make any movement to leave.

Steve completely ignores him. “I happen to think I’m more of an Emilio Estevez, myself.”

Before Billy can stop himself he’s saying “Oh please, Harrington. If you and the rich bitch princess switched places no one would be able to tell the difference.”

Now it’s Robin’s turn to laugh at Steve’s expense. 

“Oh that’s- That’s such bullshit!” Steve argues. “I’m obviously the jock! Tell him, Rob!”

Robin shrugs apologetically. “The asshole’s got a point, dingus.” 

Billy gives Steve an _I told you so_ look, and Steve huffs and puffs like some petulant child. “You two are the worst.”

The boys continue on with their bickering, but the more Robin pays attention, the more she realizes they’re hardly even fighting. In fact, if she _had_ to put a name on it, it seemed more like _flirting_ than anything; the smiles that wouldn’t leave either of their faces, the way their bodies kept inching closer to each other over the counter, the intimate way Steve would shove at Billy’s shoulder or Billy would reach out to ruffle Steve’s hair, any excuse to _touch_.

It’s not until Billy’s on his way out the door calling a _”See you around, pretty boy”_, Steve heading to the back with a little more pep in his step than is necessary for someone about to rewind tapes for the rest of the afternoon, that it finally clicks. 

“Holy shit.”

\--

Like clockwork, Billy’s back at the store the next day under the guise of getting a movie for his sister.

Robin’s got a plan set in place since Steve hasn’t come in for his shift yet, and fortunately for her Billy’s currently looking at the cover of _The Outsiders_ which works all too well.

“Hargrove! I finally figured it out!” She calls as she saunters over to the blond.

Billy doesn’t even look up. “Doubtful, but go for it.”

Robin looks around, makes sure no one’s standing close enough to hear her whisper “Emilio Estevez, right? Or maybe Tom cruise?” She’s got a victorious smile on her face, already _knows_ she’s right.

Billy’s head snaps up and he looks equal parts honest to God scared and like he’s about to burn this entire store to the ground. 

Maybe Robin should’ve gone for a more subtle approach. 

“The fuck you just say to me?”

“Billy, I-” Robin doesn’t even get to finish whatever thought she was trying to formulate before Billy’s dragging her off towards the back room. She knows she’s fucked up, crossed a boundary, but if the hothead would just calm down for two seconds...

Billy pushes through the door of the back room, startling Keith who’s elbow deep in a bag of cheese puffs. “What the hell? Only employee-”

“Get out.” Billy growls.

Keith stands up, obviously trying to intimidate Billy with the half a foot he has on the teen, but Billy isn’t swayed. “You two can’t-”

“GET. OUT.” Billy and Robin yell at the same time.

Keith looks between the two of them before shaking his head and leaving, mumbling something under his breath about the two of them needing another place to hook up, and Robin wants to kick his ass for even thinking such a gross thing, but she’s got bigger problems right now.

Billy slams the door and locks it shut before turning his attention on her. “The fuck you get off just spewing that shit out in the open, Buckley?”

“Will you chill the fuck out for two seconds? I’m right, aren’t I?”

Billy’s hands are balling into fists at his sides. “You’re not helping yourself.”

“Billy, if there’s anybody your secret’s safe with, don’t you think it’s me?” Robin asks, hands on her hips as she gives him a look like _hello dumbass, we’re on the same time._ But she gets it. The fear. It’s not exactly an easy fire to put out in the best case scenarios and Billy? Billy’s probably worst case.

He knows she’s right, somewhere deep down. Not that he’d ever admit to it. So instead of saying anything he just reaches into his jacket pocket for his smokes and zippo, lights up right there in the back of the Family Video just to give his hands something to do. “So what now?” He asks on a plume of smoke, looking off somewhere over Robin’s shoulder.

Robin chews on the question for a minute. She knows what she’s about to say next could very well set Billy off again but… she knows she’s right. Feels it in her gut. “You like Steve, don’t you?” She asks, voice low and raspy.

Besides a subtle twitch of his face as he takes a long drag from his cigarette, Billy doesn’t react. Just responds with “That obvious, huh?” 

“Not really.” Robin’s trying to go for comforting. “Took me a second to put the pieces together, but after that… maybe. Easier when you know what to look for, I guess.” She tries a smile and something in her starts to settle when Billy huffs out the smallest laugh in return. She feels like she’s finally getting somewhere. “You ever think about telling him?”

“Fuck no. That’s the last thing I’m gonna do.”

And Robin gets that. It’s the same shit she went through with her crush on Tammy Thompson. It’s the same thing she goes through every time a pretty girl passes by in front of her or comes to the store. There’s all that _wanting_ but never any _action_. It fucking sucks.

Billy has a point. Robin can’t argue with that. Not entirely. But she also has the benefit of being an outsider to Billy and Steve’s interactions and the more she’s gone back and thought about them, the more her gut is telling her maybe the two of them have a shot if they just opened their fucking eyes.

“Look,” Robin starts. “Maybe it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if you’d just… talk to him.”

Billy takes one last drag of his cigarette before stubbing it out on the wall behind him, raises an eyebrow as he looks to the girl in front of him. “Talk to him?” 

“Yes, nimrod. Talk to him. It might go better than you think.”

“Is there some insight you’d like to share with the rest of the class, Buckley?”

Billy can’t just go outing himself without some damn good proof that it’s not going to completely blow the fuck up in his face. Robin gets this. But even though she may not have anything concrete like Steve actually saying the words to her that he’s into dudes, into _Billy_, she still feels like she’s right about it, like some kind of gay intuition. The way Steve lights up when Billy’s around, the constant touching, the way his eyes go soft, it means something. Something beyond platonic. 

“Just… call it a hunch,” Robin shrugs.

Billy looks at her like she’s grown a second head. “A hunch? You want me to out myself on a hunch?”

“Nooo. That’s not what I’m saying! I’m just saying that Steve and I are still friends after I told him I like girls, right? He’s one of the good ones.”

“That’s very sweet, but you’re missing a key difference here.”

Robin crosses her arms over her chest. “And what’s that?”

“You’re a chick. There’s no threat to you coming out to him.”

Robin can’t help but balk at that. “I think you’re grossly belittling that experience, but we can fight about that later.”

“It’s different when a guy comes out to another guy, okay? Shit gets weird, and even if Steve doesn’t beat my face in, he’ll do what he thinks is the ‘polite’ thing and smile to my face but never talk to me again. Or he’ll suddenly make sure he’s never left alone in a room with me and I can’t-” Billy stops, catches himself in a moment of vulnerability, of _weakness_, that he can’t allow. “I’m not going through that shit, alright?” 

Robin’s guard eases up a little upon that admission. She never in a million years would have thought that she and Billy fucking Hargrove would have anything to relate to, but she gets it. She can talk a big game now that it’s not her ass on the line, but truth be told if she were in Billy’s shoes she probably wouldn’t be so quick to open up either. Hell, she and Tammy Thompson were never even friends and she still worried about how the other girl would’ve completely iced her out if she knew the truth. 

A tense moment passes between the two, Robin letting Billy’s words digest while she tries to come up with something to say. “Look. I won’t, like, say anything, okay? I just- I think there might be something worth exploring there.”

Billy doesn’t say anything, just nods his head once like he’s maybe considering what Robin’s said, and honestly? Robin thinks that’s a pretty big step for him. 

“We better get back out there,” Billy starts, his not-so-subtle way of ending the conversation before it gets any more mushy for his liking. “That greaseball loser probably thinks I’ve already knocked you up.”

Making a noise of disgust, Robin reaches out and slaps Billy’s chest, shoves him aside to open the door. “Way to ruin a fucking moment, asshole.”

Billy just laughs as he follows her out.

\--

Two weeks later it happens.

Steve’s supposed to be in the back rewinding tapes while Robin mans the front. But it’s a slow day, and she has to pee, so.

She figures the store won’t go up in flames in the 5 minutes it’ll take for her to go to the bathroom, but when she goes to open the door of the employee bathroom it’s locked. She groans, starts pounding her fist on the door. “Hurry up, dingus! I’m on a time crunch.”

She waits a few seconds, is about to start pounding on the door again when she hears the sound of shuffling followed by Steve yelling “Give me a sec!” and, much to her horror, there’s a second distinctly male voice mumbling in the background. 

She recognizes it instantly.

“You have got to be kidding me…” she mutters, a small grin creeping its way on her lips despite herself.

The door opens a minute later and Robin’s met face to face with a very disheveled Steve Harrington; shirt half tucked in, vest askew, hair sticking up every which way. And he’s red. _So fucking_ red. “Uh… hi.”

Robin rolls her eyes. “You might as well come out, too, asshole!”

Billy comes filing out and if Robin didn’t know any better she might have said he looked a little bashful. It was kind of cute. 

Until he clears his throat, points his finger at her, looks her square in the eye and says “You tell anyone about this, I’ll kill you.”

The threat may have held some weight once upon a time, but it was a little hard to take him seriously with his shirt on inside out.

“Don’t be a dick!” Steve chastises as he shoves Billy’s shoulder, but his eyes have this dopey lovesick look to them that cancels any intended heat. 

It’s weird, because despite the fact that Robin didn’t really know either boy last year she still heard enough from the rumor mill to know that this interaction before her shouldn’t be happening. But here Billy freakin’ Hargrove is, letting himself be shoved with only so much as a grunt and an exasperated look as response. The guy must really have it bad. 

Billy mumbles a _whatever_ before telling Steve he’ll see him tonight and avoids all contact with Robin as he passes her to leave.

“Um, you’re welcome!” She calls out to him and is met with his middle finger raised in the air as he dips out the front door of the store. 

Steve tries to walk by to get back to his rewinding duties, but Robin stops him with a hand to his chest. “You two are absolutely not doing this,” she uses her other hand to gesture to the bathroom, “every day. That’s not happening.”

“Can’t make any promises, Rob.” Steve pats her cheek twice and walks off.

Robin sighs in resignation, shakes her head and looks up to the ceiling like maybe God or whatever higher power will take mercy on her. “I’ve created monsters.”

**Author's Note:**

> comments and kudos much appreciated :)


End file.
